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Coffee leaf disease saps Central American jobs, fueling exodus to US

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December 10, 2021

A coffee leaf disease caused by 2020 hurricanes has contributed to the loss of farming jobs in Central America and the surge of people migrating to the U.S. in search of a better life, according to an NBC News report.

The coffee leaf rust disease, called "Roya," has compounded the impact of falling coffee prices and has displaced hundreds of thousands of people.

Coffee production in the region has fallen by 10% since 2017 and further losses are expected.